The invention relates to a truck bed cover. More particularly, the invention relates to a tonneau cover assembly having a pair of covers that are hingeably attached to the sidewalls of the pickup truck.
Pickup trucks having a cab and an open bed are popular for their sporty appearance and their usefulness in transporting cargo for both sport and work-related purposes. Because cargo may be transported and stored during all types of weather, pickup trucks frequently utilize covers to protect the cargo stored on the truck bed.
Two types of covers are generally available for truck beds: caps and tonneau covers. A cap is usually shaped similar to the truck bed and provides a large enclosed area in the bed of the truck. U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,185 to Lake discloses such a cover, having a lift-roof cover of full cab height.
In contrast, a tonneau cover is generally a flat sheet that lies flat against the top of the bed. A tonneau cover gives the pickup truck a sleeker appearance. Tonneau covers generally comprise two or more movable rigid cover panels with a framed or molded shape to provide a load bearing surface on top of the truck bed.
Different versions of tonneau covers have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,522 to Gaitan et al. discloses a hinge assembly for removably mounting a cover to a truck bed, and comprises a mounting assembly and a hinge element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,309 to Jordan discloses a cover assembly for the truck bed consisting of three rectangular panels arranged longitudinally along the top of the compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,303 to Hather discloses a pair of elongated cover sections in a side-by-side relation and having remote marginal edges thereof spaced apart.
Unfortunately, most of the known tonneau covers are pivoted along the longitudinal center of the truck bed. Since bulky objects may require the entirety of the truck bed for storage, mounting the tonneau covers from the longitudinal center prevents storage of bulky objects thereunder.
Thus, there is a need for a tonneau cover assembly that pivots from the sides of the truck bed and allows usage of the entire truck bed for storing and transporting bulky cargo. It should be noted that while the existing tonneau covers may be suitable for general usage, they are not as suitable as the present invention disclosed hereinafter.